Dying to Serve

The Request

Mark tells us that Jesus is going to Jerusalem and that those who follow him are both amazed and afraid. Amazed at Jesus’ determination. Afraid of what might happen. Here for the third time, Jesus tells his disciples what is going to happen in Jerusalem. It is the most graphic and complete description yet of what is going to happen to the Son of God. But once again the disciples do not understand. Mark allows us to see that their thoughts are not on defeat but on victory through revolution.

James and John approach Jesus with a request. Their request at best is prideful. They want the best seats in Jesus’ new kingdom. And the other disciples are upset because they didn’t get to Jesus before James and John did. Just as we saw in chapter 9, the disciples have not learned what it means to be a child. They have not learned what it means to be a servant of all. Rome rules. Jesus will dethrone Rome and then they will become the new rulers. There will be a displacement of one set of rules for another. Powerful rulers will give way to a new set of rulers. Nothing really changes in their view except who is ruling and who has the power to enforce rules.

The point of this text is found in Jesus’ response and I want us to get to that in just a moment. However, let’s notice the heart of the disciples. Start with James and John. Verse 35, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” Do you find that just a bit presumptuous? Do you think Jesus felt used? Did he smile and shake his head in disbelief? His response seems to suggest that he was willing, but the request is not within his will or his ability to give. James and John represent in a very real way our coming to God. Have you noticed our prayers? Are the requests selfishly oriented?

Geddes MacGregor in his book From a Christian Ghetto describes a typical Sunday morning assembly in which the preacher prays: “O dear, wonderful Father of our incredibly unbelievable experience, we like to feel assured that we may always come to thee when we feel like it. And now, dear Lord, we want quite naturally and simply and just in a word to ask thee very frankly, to give us our heart’s desire. Thou art the Comforter, as the old story puts it, and so thou art out friend, for we are very fond of comfort.”

We are blessed beyond measure and yet we ask God to bless us even more. We live in comfort; yet, we want more. We assemble in ease; yet, we pray for less discomfort. We complain about being challenged and find no contentment in the midst of adversity. Being selfish is easier than being a servant. Would we look like shameless gold diggers if our prayer requests were made public? Looking at James and John is like looking in a mirror. Their foolishness is ours. May we repent.

When was the last time you prayed asking nothing except to praise God for who He is? When was the last time that you prayed requesting for nothing for self but only for others? When was the last time you thanked God in the middle of suffering and adversity for the privilege of demonstrating your faith? Such questions may make us uncomfortable, but with the beginning of this story, we see that James and John come asking selfishly rather than having the heart of a servant.

It’s About Serving

Jesus’ response to James and John tries to help them to focus on the consequences of their request. It is like a child asking for a puppy not realizing that the responsibility for such goes well beyond the request. James and John ask for something that they do not understand. Jesus’ response is to suggest that there is suffering to come. James and John flippantly suggest that they can handle whatever may come along. Then Jesus turns to all the disciples. Their reaction to the request made by James and John demonstrates that their hearts are not in the right place either.

So Jesus turns his attention to what it means to be in his kingdom. They are familiar with rulers. They know how rulers exercise their authority over others. They are familiar with the misdeeds of rulers. They are aware of how rulers tell others what to do and expect it to be carried out. They know what it is like to be told what to do and not have any recourse except to do it. No discussion. No options. In verse 43, Jesus makes the distinction. The word “not” is first in the sentence. In Greek this is the emphatic position. It is like shouting. “My kingdom will not be like the kingdom of Rome. It will be a place where leaders serve not rule. Authority will come from serving not telling others what to do.”

Jesus invites his disciples; he invites us to join him in becoming great and in doing great things, not the way the world judges “great,” but the way God judges it. We can judge our attitudes about serving when asked to do something menial. Do we find it beneath us or below our dignity to do? God’s view wins when we serve. We are constantly tempted to go after higher and loftier things not for the benefit of others but for our own egos.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know Plato and Aristotle. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Jesus calls his disciples to think differently about what it means to be great. And to prove his point he offers himself as the prime example. The ultimate demonstration of service is found in the death of Jesus. He served us when we didn’t know we needed serving. He served us when we wanted a king, but we needed a sacrifice. He pleaded for another solution, but he knew that he would carry out God’s will. His greatness was revealed in his sacrifice. And it is appropriate that we celebrate Him. Supper.

Invitation

Jesus said that he came to give his life as a ransom for many. The many is not limited. It is a way of saying for all those who are willing to follow Jesus, then his demonstration of service at the cross is sufficient to take care of our sin problem. The word “ransom” implies that we are enslaved and that it is impossible for us ever to pay for our own freedom. Someone else must pay. Jesus’ death was not an accident. It was not something that just happened because no means of escape existed. His death was intentional. His death was God’s plan. Jesus’ death made right relationship with God possible. We could not accomplish this on our own. Jesus has paid with his life the infinite debt owed by us and every other person. He has delivered us from the captivity of sin.

But the word ransom also implies that once paid on our behalf we are no longer our own. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6 “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” Having been ransomed by Christ, we belong entirely to him.

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